


Lee Christmas

by Skellyagogo



Category: The Expendables (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Romance, Declarations Of Love, F/M, Falling In Love, Female reader insert, Friendship/Love, Love Confessions, Memories, lost in thought
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:53:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26142154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skellyagogo/pseuds/Skellyagogo
Kudos: 13





	Lee Christmas

Sitting in the back of the plane semi-lost in a daze twirling the ring around her finger. Y/n's heart still pounding in her ears. Right before she left, he just had to do it right before leaving for a job. The way he smiled, the elation and sheer delight as she accepted it. It slipped on her finger like it was a part of her. It fit so perfectly. Antique and modest. A half carat emerald cut, surrounded by tiny diamonds in intricate designs etched into the silver band.

It was old he'd told her. Something that had been passed down for generations in his family, but he was the last living member. He'd told her with misty love-filled eyes that it sat in a little velvet box tucked away in his dresser all these years. Afraid he'd never find anyone that loved him enough. He said women didn't seem to want anything other than a fun time from him, no one ever stopped and asked about how he felt, not like she did.

He told her she was the first woman to stay the whole night after the fun was done. The only one to bring him a cup of coffee in the morning. To snuggle up in his chest and pout until he wrapped his arms back around her and grinned. He told Y/n how much he liked it, those mornings. The sleepy kisses and the way she'd trail her fingers around his chest and arms.

He thought after their first night together that nothing more would ever come of it, that it was just a friends with benefits sort of thing. A drunken result of a night out at the bar and loneliness. It's not like they hadn't known each other for years, he just never thought she'd be the one in his bed, but that next morning. Feeling the bed empty next to him and letting out a sigh hating himself.

He told her for an instant he regretted the night before. Feared that it would change everything for the worse. That she wouldn't want to look him in the eye or be in the same room with him again. Not because the sex had been terrible, that he knew he did well. Images of her moaning his name, writhing, and trembling beneath him filled his thoughts. She let him take her any which way he wanted and yet he chose to be on top just to watch her face.

Everything about her was different than the others, he had confessed. There was pureness, realness in her eyes. The way she kissed him was filled with affection and attention. How she honestly seemed to care. Care that he was enjoying himself. At one point, tired, ready to sleep after the fourth round, he let her lead. The feel of her palms on his chest, fingers grabbing hold of the edges of his shoulders as she moved. Swirling her hips, rocking them in such a way, making him feel like he was ready to burst already.

She'd shown him a gentleness he wasn't accustomed to. A deeply intimate sensual experience. Being on top, she drew it out, made sure he felt everything. Showed him how good patience and slowness was. That the journey was better than the destination. Maybe that was the moment he realized it wasn't just sex, at least for him. The way she kissed him, the tenderness, the neediness of it like she wanted him. Not wanted him because he was currently buried deep inside her, but actually wanted... him.

Then he smelled the coffee from the kitchen so he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. He remembered feeling his bed dip as she slipped back underneath the covers. The chill of her naked body next to the warmth of his. He told her how he shifted on his back and splayed out his arm on purpose hoping she'd take the hint. He wanted her back in his arms. Wanted, hoped it wasn't just him that felt different after last night.

Said he could feel her watching him, feel the faint touch of her fingertip as it lightly trailed over his jaw. The touch of her thumb at the corner of his mouth playing with the stubble. He could feel the deep inhale of breath she'd taken and felt the breathy sigh. She leaned in and kissed him. Soft and tender, just enough pressure to know it had been done. Sleepily he let his body react, groggily kissing her back. He wanted more, but he was curious as to what she was going to do next.

He told her how he remembered the tickle of her hair on his chest as she shimmied beside him, curling herself around him. Draping her leg over his, gently rubbing her thigh up and down on his. She sighed again, he said. Memorizing the sound of it because he found it adorably sweet.

Her fingers were spelling out words on his chest. Confessions she might not have made if she'd known he was awake. He said he fought back a smirk, fought back sitting up and kissing her senseless, but he didn't want to ruin the moment. Risk changing the mood that still might cause rejection.

He said she was the first one to ask him to lunch. She remembered laughing at the stunned look on his face. The way he sputtered and failed to form words. Suggesting a shower before they left to grab something to eat. He didn't expect her to climb in behind him. He didn't expect her to assist in what he could almost certainly do himself. Nevertheless, for the second time, he found himself letting her lead.

Lathered and soapy, getting scrubbed cleaned. Glances and tender touches. Winks and smirks. She wasn't trying to turn him on but she'd managed anyway. Grabbing his ass and pushing him into the shower wall, kissing him like it was the only way for her to survive. He liked it, liked the way she smiled at him. Craved the way she made him feel wanted. He didn't want it to end, wanted to stay under the spray of water for the rest of the day. Wanted to take in every inch of her, but his stomach was grumbling to the point it made her laugh.

It was a burger joint far away from the touristy areas in the city. Full of locals and those in the know. It smelled of charcoal and fire. She smiled at him while she spoke. Looked him in the eye despite the blush that was slowly creeping up her neck when he grinned back. Cracking jokes she made him laugh. Confessing she thought it was a lost Wonder of the World hearing that sound and she tried to make it happen as often as she could over the years. He didn't know what to think. No one had ever said something like that before.

Burgers the size of frisbees and a mountain of fries put on the table in front of both of them. The food was good, better than he thought. The fries were crisp and the beer was cold. They both sat and talked long after the meal was finished. When the waiter dropped off the bill she snatched it up before he could. He tried to argue, tell her it was a man's job to pay for a pretty lady, but she shook her head and laughed.

Telling him that it was her treat, she was the one that asked him, but if he wanted to pay, he could get the next time. Without missing a beat he asked her out to dinner that night. For a brief second, she thought he might have been joking until his hand covered hers. His fingers curling around her own. Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed her knuckles.

She was all in from there on out. Once a week dinners at someplace upscale when she wasn't away on a job just so he could see her dressed up to the nines. He always looked at her on those nights out like she was straight from his dreams. A fantasy too good to be true to be out on the arm of someone like him.

He loved the stiletto heels, loved the height difference they made. Loved that his face was the perfect height to get lost in the valley on her chest. He loved leaning in placing kisses on those mountains pushing out from beneath her dress. Loved watching the flush and the goosebumps fan out across her skin after he snuck a kiss in a crowded restaurant.

Nights spent in that rotated between her place and his cooking dinner together. There were mishaps and small fires on occasion because they'd gotten too caught up in a moment. Too busy getting lost in a kiss that neither ever wanted to end. Those nights lead to take-out instead.

Terrible late night tv ignored in the background as they made out like teenagers on the couch. There were slow dances in candlelight. She thought they were both imperfectly perfect and accepted each other's flaws. Though sometimes while out on the town, his jealously would get the better of him. Seeing the way other men would look at her. Undressing her with their eyes, but he kept that anger in check. Though on some occasions they were stories in the news the next day that lead her to believe otherwise.

She couldn't remember a fight that had been real, all of them playful and over moronic things like whose soccer team kicked the others ass despite the other person claiming they cheated. Or who drank the last cup of coffee and didn't make anymore while he held the last cup he poured for her behind his back smirking listening to her grumble threatening to kick his ass in his sleep with a cocky smile on her face.

He understood her strange schedule, having to leave at a moment's notice, and being gone for months at a time. He didn't like it, but he thought she was worth it. He'd wait a lifetime for her as long as she came back to him. The gashes and the bruises, the stitches, and broken limbs. Cracked ribs and bullet wounds, he understood it all.

He'd spend days after she'd get home pampering her. Carrying her even if she could walk and settling her into a steaming hot tub full of bubbles. He'd slip in behind her and hold her close. Pepper her neck and shoulder with kisses. Whispering how much he loved her while nibbling on her ear.

He was everything she never knew she wanted, never thought she could ever find. He'd constantly tell her the same thing each night as they drifted to sleep. Tell her how lucky he'd been, but how stupid too. How stupid to never notice her all that time. Lucky because of that one drunken night in the bar. Lucky that she came home with him because his place was closer. Lucky that what could have been the worst moment in their friendship turned into the most incredible beginning.

"You might wanna stow that away," Barney nodded towards the ring as everyone was ready to depart the plane.

Y/n sat on the bench seat smiling, twirling the ring on her finger in a blissful haze. The whole flight was spent reliving the last year of her life. All of it feeling like it was too good to be true, like some sort of fucked up fairytale.

"Uh yeah, sorry, it's ... still hitting me." Shaking her head smiling down at the floor hearing the men chuckle. It wasn't often they saw her so dazed or smiling the way she was.

"Didn't even know you were seeing anyone." Gunner looked a little disappointed at losing his dance partner on rowdy nights in the bar.

"A girl's gotta have some secrets, even from you lot." She winked at Gunner and laughed as the big Swed pouted.

"You love him?" Christmas stood nervously watching her.

"For longer than he'd ever believe." Y/n couldn't help the sigh that fled her lips, still reeling from hearing his confessions during the proposal. Telling her how he felt all these years. How fear kept him from ever telling her the truth sooner.

"When did it happen?" Caesar asked curiously. For a solid mass of a man he was a lover at heart, a romantic despite his appearance.

"Like an hour before I showed up at the hangar." Laughing softly sliding the ring off her finger, pulling the black velvet box from her pack and tucking it away in a hidden compartment in the cargo bay floor.

"What?!" They said surprised in unison.

"It's fine," she laughed staring up at the men she'd worked with the last few years. "Trust me, you'll all approve and no Gunner, you don't need to threaten him." Glancing his way seeing him twirling his bowie knife in his hand.

~~~

Two long weeks trudging through the jungle taking out a cartel. Covered in blood, sweat and mud Y/n limped onto the plane. Dropping her pack and her rifle on the grated floor. Slumping onto a bench seat tugging off her gear. Barney and Christmas stomped past towards the cockpit. Shared grumbles of a job well done despite the bruises. Beers were passed around as soon as the plane was in the air.

Caesar tossed Y/n the medkit and she set about cleaning the gash on her forearm. Deep, dirty, and angry. Hissing in discomfort pouring water over it trying to flush out dirt and debris. Christmas fist-bumping Barney as he left his seat. The smile he wore slowly fading away seeing her struggle trying to clean the wound with her less dominant hand.

Kneeling in front of her he took the water and held her arm. His face inching into her space inspecting the state of the wound. Y/n watching him closely as he worked. The water changed to Hydrogen Peroxide. The bubbles stinging as they hit the layers of exposed blood, nerves, and skin. Her foot jerking, stomping on the floor at the pain but she didn't yell, only grunted behind the grimace she wore. The sound caused Lee to glance upward. His eyes piercing into hers.

"I'm good," she spoke through clenched teeth, loud enough for him to hear. Nodding he went back to work in silence.

Pulling a pair of tweezers out of the medkit he dug reluctantly into the wound pulling out bits that didn't belong. Tiny shards of wood and stone from the explosion as all of them fled the compound the now dead cartel was holed up in. His eyes darting toward her foot each time it jerked knowing he was hitting a sore spot, causing her more pain than she needed at the moment.

Again with the water and the hydrogen peroxide, only stopping the routine when the bubbles stopped forming from the peroxide. Dabbing the gash dry gingerly with gauze. Y/n knew what part was coming next before he even pulled out the needle. Gazing into her eyes keeping her focused on him as he pierced her skin with the tip, pushing the sedative into her system.

Raising an eye at his action, the care, and the detail. The fact he'd given her something to numb the pain, to lessen the newest onslaught of annoyance that would come as he stitched the gash closed.

His thumb swept over her wrist before he began. Peeking another glance with those eyes of his. Giving her a look that meant he had something to say but chose to keep it himself. She'd learned the signs of that expression ages ago. He tried to be gentle, tried to work as quickly as possible, but it hurt. The occasional stomp of her boot on the metal grated floor. The heavy inhales through her nose.

Resting her head back on the wall of the cargo bay, closing her eyes letting the sedative's magic flowing through her. Lee held onto Y/n's arm long after he'd finished. Long after he closed the medkit and tossed the bloody mess toward the back of the plane. His free hand rummaging beneath her seat, out of sight of the others.

"Ya know, I've been thinking," Lee paused with a little smirk as her eyes shot open peering down at him.

"That's your first mistake," Y/n snorted a tired laugh. The other men laughing along with her as he rolled his eyes groaning.

"I was thinking about this Lil joint this woman took me to once," he smiled. His free hand busy turning something around in his fingers.

"Oh yeah," tilting her head seeing the expression on his dirty face. Scruffy stubble from not shaving for weeks.

"Yeah, had burgers the size of a frisbee, right." His free hand gliding over hers. "Fries that shamed English pubs and beer so cold it felt like ice as it hit your tongue."

"Sounds like my kind of place," she smirked feeling the heat flare up on her ears.

"Maybe you wanna join me when we get back?" A slightly shy, nervous grin on his face.

"Christmas," Barney chimed in, turning his head staring into the back of the plane. "She's engaged, I think you're a little late my friend."

"Not late," Lee chuckled leaning in pulling Y/n into a deep kiss, holding up the ring on her finger towards Barney and the others. "Just stupidly lucky."


End file.
